The Hot Corner | Doncic Injured

The Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers were both in action Wednesday.

Here is what happened on the court, on the field, and behind the scenes.

NBA

Dallas Mavericks (34-33, second in Southwest Division, eighth in Western Conference)

Last Game: New Orleans Pelicans 113, Mavericks 106

New Orleans took control of this one in the second quarter but almost blew the lead late. Dallas entered the fourth trailing by 18 and cut the deficit to four on a Kyrie Irving three-pointer with 39 seconds left. However, the Mavericks did not score another point as New Orleans made its free throws to ice the game.

Noteworthy: Dallas falls to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with 15 games remaining this season. Five of those games are against teams currently ahead of the Mavericks in the Western Conference standings, and seven are against teams that hold a playoff spot.

The Mavericks also lost All-Star guard Luka Doncic to a thigh injury in the third quarter.

“It’s not good, I can’t really push off my leg,” Doncic told reporters in a postgame press conference. “I can’t get my rhythm with running, but mostly it’s affecting my jump shot because I can’t really use my legs. I was trying to play through it, but it got worse as the game went on, especially in the third. I’m going to get an MRI tomorrow to see if everything is fine, and I will just ice it, go to therapy. That’s it.”

Next Up: Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies (38-26), 7 p.m. CT Saturday

***

MLB — SPRING TRAINING

Texas Rangers (6-8 in Cactus League)

Last Game: Arizona Diamondbacks 2, Rangers 0

The Rangers were shut out for the first time this spring despite outhitting the Diamondbacks, 7-5. The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the sixth inning when Arizona outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. singled for the game’s first run. The Diamondbacks added another in the eighth, while the Rangers went 0-8 with runners in scoring position and left six on base.

Noteworthy: Rangers pitcher Jon Gray started Wednesday’s game and went three innings with a strikeout while surrendering just one hit. Gray has made two starts this spring, totaling five innings with no earned runs.

“I’m not going to complain about [going] scoreless, but there’s still some things to iron out for sure,” Gray told reporters after the game. “I still feel really slow going to the plate. I’m working on that, but some things were good … As for spring training, being the second start, things felt right.”

Next Up: Rangers at Oakland Athletics (3-7), 2:05 p.m. CT Friday